Laundry
by letherfly
Summary: three scenes with a common theme.
1. Chapter 1

Post Lost Reputation / Above Suspicion. For Sindy. I hate you.

"Liv, what are you doing?"

She spun around, obviously flustered and startled at his sudden presence. He smirked and touched her arm lightly, pulling her hand into his. She sighed and dropped the armful of sheets she had been trying to cram into his apartment sized washing machine.

"How do you live like this?" she asked, gesturing to miniature sized stacked washer and dryer with her free hand.

"One sheet at a time," he replied, trying his best to sound serious.

She shook her head and untwined her fingers from his, carefully placing her arm around his torso. _Come on_, she murmured as she guided him back to the livingroom. It had been a week since he had been released from the hospital following the shooting. Olivia had shown up at the hospital every day following her Florence Nightingale commentary and subsequent intimacy. When the nurses inquired as to who would care for him when he released, Olivia had volunteered before he could open his mouth to speak.

He rolled the thought of Olivia taking him home over and over in his mind. He had planned on calling his sister to pick him up when he knew the hospital wouldn't let him leave alone. But she had offered. Though it wasn't so much an offer as it was a directive. She had shown up with her car - a car he wasn't aware she owned - and he had happily obliged her orders and buckled his seatbelt. Brian tried his hand at banter, asking if she would take him for ice cream on the way home. Though they had spent the past few days flirting without shame and stealing kissing between doctors and nurses stopping in, she was different now. She was tense. He had tried not to take it too seriously and followed her lead.

Though Brian didn't want to admit defeat, he was glad she was there. The few days were a haze of sleeping and heavy painkillers. On the forth day he had found he could tolerate the pain and enjoyed a clear mind. Olivia had been a woman on a mission for the three days that Brian was mostly incoherent. She cleaned out his fridge, organized his medications, and went grocery shopping.

Today, on the fifth day, she had insisted on helping him with laundry. He had told her not worry about it and insisted she lay down for a nap with him. _If you're playing hooky, you might as well relax with me, Liv._ She had obliged him until she felt his breathing had become rhythmic and steady. She slipped out of bed and collected the laundry from its pile on the floor.

Here he had found her, in the bathroom, trying to overstuff his washing machine. Her hair was curly, messy, spilling over her bare shoulders as she fought the appliance. He had never seen her wear tank tops and yoga pants during the day, but she had settled comfortably into their faux vacation.

He let her gently lead him back to the couch. Though he was careful not to take advantage of her kindness, he knew fighting her was futile. This was a side to her he hadn't seen, the side that was intimate and gentle and loving. He watched as she draped a blanket over his legs before carefully sitting beside him. He reached for her again, this time pulling her gently against his shoulder. Her eyes went immediately to his chest before meeting his. He nodded and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head as she relaxed a bit.

"I'll keep your secret," he whispered.

"What's that?"

"That you're amazing," he replied, this time a bit louder, wanting her to hear his words he had chosen so carefully.

"You're heavily medicated," she whispered back.

"Take the compliment, Liv," he chided, treading lightly between banter and serious conversation. "I know I've told you thank you a million times, but I appreciate you being here. To be honest, I'm not sure how I would've done this without you."

"Yeah, well I like being here," she felt her face flush and buried her face further into Brian's shoulder, "With you."

Her admission came at a cost, the walls she had built and the armor she wore, crumbled a bit. Her heart was on her sleeve, a rare occurrence for Olivia. Her attraction to him hadn't been a secret, her feelings had been clear in the way she flirted with him in the bar, cried in the ambulance, and kissed him in the hospital. The way he took her in stride, she knew he was trying to pace himself and not push her too hard.

"I like being here with you too, Liv."

"So are you going to take me on a real date when you're up to it?" Her voice changed, it was light and playful, and she sat up to meet his eyes.

"Are you agreeing to be my girlfriend? Should I give you my class ring?"

"Don't be an ass, Cassidy," she retorted.

Brian laughed, sending vibrations through her. She couldn't help but smile and place a few soft kisses against his arm. He dipped his head and caught her lips, she responded gingerly, unable to fight her desire, but worried she would hurt him. Their kiss became heated as he struggled to pull her closer, groaning when he felt a twinge of pain in his chest. Olivia pulled back quickly, fear quickly taking over.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Liv," he replied, annoyed that she had pulled back, "Come here."

She reluctantly scooted closer to him, letting him wrap his arm around her shoulders and kiss her softly. She couldn't help but smile when he pulled away and tucked her beneath his arm.

"How about some take out for dinner?"

"Sure, you pick the place," he replied. His focus was on her thigh and drawing lazy patterns over her yoga pants. He felt her nod, but she stayed put, breathing in his scent and remaining content. She ran her hands across his stomach, careful to stay away from his injuries. This was the first that they had been still. No errands to run, or dishes to wash, nothing but stillness. In the stillness she realized her feelings were more than just attraction, she couldn't remember the last time she had cleaned out her own fridge, much less someone else's fridge. The feelings that made her heart flutter were more than lust. She briefly rolled the idea around in her head that she might be falling in love with Brian, but decided to keep those thoughts to herself. Instead she grabbed his hand from her thigh and gently pressed a kiss on his palm before getting up to find dinner menus.

When she didn't return to the living room after quite some time, Brian got up and looked around. Again, he found her stuffing his dirty laundry into the tiny washing machine. He knew this was not the Olivia Benson he had spent one night with over a decade ago. This was a woman who truly cared for him, who did more for him in five days than she had done for herself in five months. He felt a tightness in his chest that wasn't the gun shots wounds, it was something stronger than the lust he felt years ago. She noticed his stare and the way the corners of his mouth turned upwards.

"What?" she asked, unsure of what his expression meant.

"Nothing," he replied, suddenly a bit embarrassed that he had gotten caught, "I appreciate you doing all this, Liv."

She smiled and threw in the last dirty towel. "I know."

"Once I'm doing a little better, would you let me take you on a real date?"

She smiled once again, adjusting the knob on the washing machine to the proper cycle. The racing in her heart and the flutter in her stomach had returned. When she looked up from the washing machine he was smiling, the same boyish grin she had fell for over a decade ago.

"Cassidy, you better be taking me on a lot of dates after the things I saw in your fridge," she replied, playing swatting at his arm.

"Sounds good to me," he smirked and caught her hand, pulling her towards him. She happily obliged and pushed herself up on her toes to kiss him. The familiar flutter returned to Brian's chest and he laughed against her. She eyed him carefully, shooting him a warning look. The dryer buzzed loudly, signaling the end of the cycle, effectively pulling them out of their moment.

"Nothing," he explained, "I just like you here. Come on, the laundry can wait."


	2. Chapter 2

Post Her Negotiation.

"Bri, what are you doing?"

She appeared in the doorway to the bathroom, looking a bit more rested than she had in the past few days. Brian moved about the bathroom, hurriedly trying to fill his tiny washing machine. Hours prior, she had told him she was going to take one of the sleeping pills the hospital had given her. He felt relieved, knowing her body needed meaningful rest to heal both the physical and emotional wounds. He had been at her side every minute, trying not to hover, but staying close by for the next wave of terror.

It took her a while to fall asleep; Brian laid with her and drew lazy patterns on her back, trying to ease her mind to give in to the exhaustion. Eventually, when he was sure she was out, he slipped out of bed. Knowing he couldn't leave her alone, his first call was too Amanda. Their conversation was awkward and hopeful and thick with anxiety. He offered her an out if it was too hard to go back there, but he had to ask because Olivia couldn't keep wearing the same yoga pants every day. Amanda quickly agreed and assured him she knew what to pack up. He called in his next favor to Munch, asking his old friend if he would mind picking up some groceries.

Amanda had arrived at his apartment in record time, dragging three large suitcases behind her. She had texted Brian to let him know she was there, unsure if knocking on the door might disturb Olivia's slumber. Brian thanked her profusely, trying to convey the gratitude he felt, but awkwardly stumbling over the words. She just smiled and drawled a _your welcome_. Munch had arrived soon afterwards and helped Brian quietly put the groceries away. When they were done, Munch patted him on the back and sternly told him to call.

When Brian opened her suitcases, the smell of stale smoke still lingered on her clothes. He started the washing machine, carefully sorting out her clothes the way he had seen her do it. He was on the last load of laundry when she appeared in the doorway.

"Hey babe, how'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good, feels good to get some rest. Are those my clothes?" she asked, pointing to a basket at his feet.

"Yeah, the rest are in the livingroom. I've got this basket to fold and the last load just started," he explained.

"How did you…" she trailed off, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

"As adorable as I think you are in those yoga pants, I thought you could use some more clothes. I asked Amanda and she brought all this over while you were asleep."

She smiled at his comment despite herself and despite the horrible situation that had led to her wearing the same yoga pants for three days. Even amidst their tragedy, there were tiny moments that the old Brian and Olivia had shown through. Though she was unsure of someone else going through her clothes, she had to admit to herself she felt a sense of normalcy that her own familiar clothes were there.

"Come sit with me while I finish folding?"

She studied his face, noting his eyes appeared a bit helpless though he was trying. Everything had become so difficult and strained; she had nightmares when she slept and breakdowns when she was awake. Her body was stiff and sore and he moved about her like she was glass always asking before touching her and handling her with the upmost sensitivity. At times she wanted him to just hold her tight and other times she wanted him there, but at a distance. He stood here in front of her, clutching a basket of her light colored clothes against his hip, looking unsure of himself and of her. She felt a twinge of guilt in her chest that slowly made its way to sit heavily in her stomach. The only thing she could do was reach out with her good hand and take his hand in hers. She squeezed his hand with the most strength her body would allow and slowly, carefully she stepped closer to him and laid her cheek against his chest. He kissed the top of her head as he done so many times in the past. The familiarity of the gesture gave her the sense of her old self and the hope that better days were to come.

"You are the most patient man I've ever met," she whispered against his shirt. He laughed slightly, the vibrations of his voice running through her.

"You haven't forgotten basketball season already, have you?"

She smiled again and looked up at him as she remembered how animated and frustrated he had gotten over college basketball. There it was again, the sense of normalcy and familiarity were returning. Though Brian could be an ass at times and sometimes didn't know when to shut up, he seemed to know the right things to say to her at the right times.

"Come on, I want to watch you fold my laundry," she chided him, eliciting a boyish grin.

He led her to the livingroom and helped her into the recliner, paying careful attention to her cracked ribs. Her hand once again found his and she squeezed it tightly, whispering a thank you as he lingered above her.

Brian sat down on the couch adjacent to her between the stacks of clothing he had already folded. Knowing how she hated the silence, he turned the television on to distract her. He flipped through the channels until he found Seinfeld reruns. It kept things light and easy during her darkest of days. Though she enjoyed the reruns, she found herself watching as Brian folded her clothes. It was something deeply personal, yet it calmed her to see the way he took care of her things. It was the same way he had been taking care of her: patient, attentive, and gentle. Her mind constantly raced with fear, anxiety, and occasional self-loathing. When she left the hospital, she wasn't sure if they would survive this, if she could let herself rely on someone else and if he would be reliable enough to get her through this. Yet the moment they stepped inside his apartment, her relationship fears had vanished. He didn't wait to let her take the lead as she often did, he had her medicines lined up and extra plastic bags to wrap around her cast for showering. He stayed with her, even when she needed distance. He didn't question her, even when her ramblings and motives were questionable. She snapped out of her own head, realizing for a moment that her thoughts were of the man she loved and not the monster that had captured her.

"Hey Bri?"

He stopped stacking her clothes back inside the baskets at his feet.

"Yea?"

"I'm glad I'm here with you," she replied.


	3. Chapter 3

2016.

"That's not how Mommy does it," Noah insisted.

Brian eyed his son carefully, skeptical of taking laundry advice from a three year old. He continued to fiddle with the dials on their new washing machine, becoming frustrated with the beeps the machine was emitting. He shook his head and rubbed his face.

"Can you go ask Mommy to come here," Brian asked his son. Noah shook his head in agreement and ran down the hallway towards the living room. He listened to their muffled exchange and shook his head to himself. He heard the television change from the local news to cartoons, a sign that Olivia was on her way and Noah had taken up the television.

"Do I need to write this down for you?" Her tone was teasing as she crossed the room and adjusted the dials. The machine beeped happily in agreement with her choices and the water began to fill the machine.

"Sorry to make you get up," he replied as he stepped behind her to rub her back.

"It's okay, I had trouble with them too when we first got them," she replied gesturing to their new appliances. She leaned back against him, letting him wrap his arms around her. His hands landed on her swollen stomach and searched for movement. Her hands found his and quickly moved them to the right spot.

"Are you really up for going on vacation this close to your due date?"

"Bri, we're only going to the beach for a long weekend. We could use a break to relax, it's good for us," she motioned to her belly, signifying the collective we.

"Okay," he replied, "just want to make sure this isn't too much."

She turned in his arms and leaned in to kiss him softly, her belly wedged between them. The dryer buzzed, signaling the end of the cycle. Brian groaned against her lips, annoyed with the interruption.

"It's always something," he grumbled as he reached for the dryer door. The baby clothes she had received at her baby shower the prior weekend came tumbling out. Olivia grabbed a tiny pink sundress and held it up against her belly.

"Can you believe she's going to be here in six weeks?"

"No," he whispered, pulling her back to him. She turned, resting her side against his chest, trying to get closer to him. Brian held her tightly, running his fingers tips over her stomach. Olivia touched her wedding rings, which hung on a chain around her neck. They had grown too tight to wear on her finger over the past few weeks, so she had pried them off before they had to be cut off. Her ring finger was marked with pale skin where her rings had been, evidence of her commitment to never taking them off.

"Mommmmmyyyyy," Noah's voice came faintly from the living room.

"You go get off your feet, I'll grab the clean clothes and see what Noah needs," Brian whispered against her hair, making no effort to release her. She nodded and stifled a yawn. The doctor had been right when he told her the pregnancy would be hard. She took it in stride, knowing this was their only chance to have a second child. After marrying the prior spring Brian had officially adopted Noah. Olivia had returned from the courthouse with a stack of paperwork the following day with the first of many surprises. She was changing her and Noah's last name to match his. They opted not to go on a honeymoon, but rather a family vacation. Sometime around the following New Year, Olivia had another surprise - she was pregnant. Though things weren't as easy, they did their best to follow the doctor's orders.

Now in early July they had only a few weeks remaining before their daughter would arrive. Brian still was not convinced that traveling an hour out of the city to spend the weekend at the beach was the best idea, but Olivia had a way of convincing him to take a leap of faith.

"I'm going," she murmured without moving, "Really, I am."

He laughed out loud at her unwillingness to move, though he wasn't moving either. Noah called for his mother again, this time insisting she had to see the cartoon he was watching.

"What can I say? I have to go to watch television while you finish the laundry for our trip. Noah says so," she replied as she lifted herself off his chest.

"You've got the hardest job," he replied as he dropped a kiss onto her stomach.

"We're okay, Bri," she reassured him, "Bring out the clean laundry, I'll fold it while you take care of Noah."

Brian nodded and watched as she headed down the hall. He gathered up the clean clothes from the dryer and headed out to the livingroom. Olivia had taken up spot at the end of the sofa with Noah cuddled up to her side. Noah had his favorite fire truck clutched tightly in his hand, driving through pretend streets across his mother's legs.

"Hey Buddy, what's up?"

"Come sit, Daddy," he responded, still not looking up from his toy. Brian smiled at his wife and exchanged a knowing look. He sat down on the opposite side of his son and reached out to pat him on the back. Noah smiled and stretched across the couch with his fire truck still in hand and laid his head against his father's shoulder.

Olivia smiled at her family, cuddled up on the couch together. They had made it through the worst times to experience the best of times.

The laundry could wait.


End file.
